What are the best needlepoint kit purveyors these days?

January 25, 2023 5:22 PM

I've got a hankering to do a good old-fashioned floral needlepoint pillow kit, a la this. I started trolling through Google returns and realized I needed AskMe instead. Who are the quality needlepoint kit purveyors these days, especially of beautiful florals? Note that I would be a beginner, but a determined one.
posted by HotToddy to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

I have some Beth Russell kits, which I haven't stitched yet. They come with Appleton wool and they have Arts and Crafts designs. They make beginner kits.

Elizabeth Bradley has lots of floral designs also. However, some of their canvases are worked in Victorian cross stitch, which is different from the traditional tent stitches (continental/basketweave).

I've also ordered from Needlepoint.com, which has a wide selection of canvases. If you order a canvas from them you can ask them to select threads to send along with it.
posted by Lycaste at 5:58 PM on January 25, 2023

Elizabeth Bradley hands down. Their Kirk Bradly collection is meant to be done in basketweave (simpler to pick up). But if you are determined I dont think Victorian Cross stitch is that difficult to pick up, and they have tutorials
(i'm on my 3rd of theirs, so if you have any questions feel free to memail me)

Lycette is also a nice small business that has lots of options under florals.
posted by zara at 6:05 PM on January 25, 2023

Ehrman makes a nice floral kit. Read descriptions carefully; they sometimes use combinations of stitches. Generally includes everything except the finishing stuff (pillow innards, backing, zippers, etc.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 6:35 PM on January 25, 2023

The Kaffe Fasset kits at Ehrman are nice, I've seen one of the turnips in person, vivid.
posted by clew at 11:28 AM on January 26, 2023

Mary Maxim is well known for quality and variety.

I don't know if Bucilla sells online, but I remember them from way back as having great products.
posted by Enid Lareg at 12:35 PM on January 26, 2023

Whoa, I'm today years old when I learned that there are $250 pillow kits. Which then made me wonder if there was an app to take pictures (open-source, definitely not talking about stealing these artists' work!!) and convert them to cross-stitch/needlepoint templates. This is cool!: https://www.pixel-stitch.net/.
posted by SinAesthetic at 1:41 PM on January 27, 2023 [3 favorites]

Bucilla does indeed sell online, but they don't seem to have specifically needlepoint kits. (I'm doing the Festive Birds ornaments at the moment, which is why I know. Very satisfying kit, by the way. Very festive.) It looks like you can get vintage needlepoint kits by Bucilla on Poshmark, eBay, and Etsy (all fine places to look for other needlepoint kits.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 9:34 PM on February 17, 2023 [1 favorite]